Variable operating pressure gas holder



L. A. WILKIN ETAL VARIABLE OPERATING PRESSURE GAS HOLDER May 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l A T a %:2

Filed Jan. 15, 1958 May 15, 1962 L. A. WILKlN ETAL 7 3,0

VARIABLE OPERATING PRESSURE GAS HOLDER \QQEWQV H 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lea 5422 Filed Jan. 15, .1958

3 034 880 VABLE OlPERATlh lG fiRESEaURE GAS HtlJlLDlER Lester A. Willtin, East Chicago, and Herbert W. lllarsh,

Highland, lnd., assignors, by mesne assignments, to

The invention relates to a field storage arrangement for gas and is particularly directed to a structure which accommodates tank operation over a variable range of pressures.

The invention has as its principal object the provision of a field storage type of gas holder having certain structural and functional features which will accommodate selectable variation in operating pressure. Particularly the invention comprehends a gas holder of the wet seal type wherein the inner cylinder or shell is covered by a member which defines an upper tank or chamber and lower storage chamber. Port means are provided communieating with this upper chamber whereby ballast material such as water may be inserted therein in any desired amount to change the operational features of the arrangement.

For a clearer description of these and other objects and advantages of the invention, attention is directed to the following specification and associated drawings,

. wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of a gas holder incorporating the features of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view, in elevation, of an upper guiding arrangement, and

FIG. 4 is a detailed sectional view, in elevation, of a lower guiding arrangement.

Describing the invention in detail and directing attention of FIG. 1, it will be seen that the gas holder comprises an outer cylindrical shell 2, said shell 2 being erected on any appropriate foundation (not shown). The shell 2 is open at its upper end where it is also provided with a reinforcing arrangement 4 commonly known as a wind girder. A plurality of structural members 6 are secured to the outer periphery of the outer shell 2 and extended upwardly thereabove. The structural members 6 may be further reinforced by guying wires 8 or similar arrangements. 7

The arrangement further comprises an inner shell, indicated generally at '10, said inner shell having an open bottom which communicates with the volume defined by the outer shell 2, the inner shell being telescopically received within the outer shell. A covering member indicated generally at 12 seals the upper end of the inner shell and separates the inner shell into upper and lower chambers 14- and 16, respectively. It will be particularly noted that in the preferred embodiment of the invention the covering member 12 is formed with a dished bottom 18 and any appropriately contoured top 20. A port 22 is provided at any convenient location to establish communication wtih the chamber 14 and the purpose of which will be hereinafter described in detail.

Turning to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the inner surface of the outer shell 2 has mounted thereon a plurality of guides or channels 26 and further, the structural members 6 additionally provide a plurality of guides or channels 28. The inner shell is provided with a plurality of brackets and roller elements 30 adjacent the bottom thereof, said elements 30 being cooperatively and functionally arranged with the guides 26 mounted on the inner shell 10 and a plurality of other bracket and roller artisan Patented May 15, 1%62 elements 34, said elements 34 being cooperatively functionally arranged with the guides 28 on the structural members 6. It will be understood by those skilled in the arts that the guides and roller elements are peripherically distributed at appropriate spacings around the entire arrangement to guidingly accommodate the raising and lowering of the inner shell 10 during operation of the unit.

When applying the invention to a wet seal type of gas holder, it will be understood that Water is placed in the outer shell 2. and the chamber 16 to a determined level indicated at 38. To accommodate entrance and exit of the stored gas, a pipe 40 having a pair of gas lines (not shown) therein may be arranged to communicate between an external source (not shown) of gas product to be stored and the chamber 16 above the level 38 of the water contained therein, it being understood that one of said gas lines is for entrance of gaseous product and the other of said gas line is for exit of said gaseous product. In addition to the above, a normally closed vent 42 may be provided to extend through the covering member 12 and establish selectable communication between the atmosphere and the chamber 16 above the level 38 of water. The normally closed vent 42 is utilized in those instances when it is desired to purge the chamber in of all gaseous products such as duringmaintenance operations on the gas holder.

Describins the o eration of the arran ement, it will be remembered that a port 22 is provided communicating with the chamber 14 of the inner shell 10. The operating personnel decide the pressure at which it is desired to store gaseous product and depending on said pressure, till the chamber 14 with water to a predetermined level. A movable hose or any similar device (not shown) may be utilized to accomplish the filling of the chamber 14. As the level of the ballast water increases, it of course, increases the overall weight of the inner shell ltlwhich, in turn, increases the pressure of the stored product in the chamber 16 which is required to raise the inner shell upwardly. When the gas product in the chamber 16 reaches the desired pressure, the inner shell 10 moves upwardly out of complete telescopical relation with the outer shell 2 and into telescopical relation with the structural members 6. The relatively large area Within the chamber 16, when considered with the relatively small peripherical area between the inner shell 1t) and the outer shell 2 and the gas pressure in chamber 16, causes the level of water in the chamber 16 to fall and the level of water in the peripherical area to rise to a determined height. When it is desired to operate the arrangement at a different pressure, the operating personnel merely are required to change the amount of ballast water in the chamber 14.

Thus, it will be seen that the invention provides a field storage type of gas holder having novel structural features which accommodate gas holder operation over a wide range of varying pressure conditions.

The invention as shown is by way of illustration and not by limitation and may be subject to various modifications without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A gas storage tank arrangement comprising an outer shell construction suitably supported from a surface and having an open top, support members extending above and secured to the upper end of said outer shell, an inner shell located within said outer shell and having an open bottom, means providing a closed top for said inner shell and defining an enclosed chamber, said chamber means and the wall of said inner shell defining a lower storage chamber for said gas, means on said outer shell, said support members, and said inner shell for guiding said aosasao inner shell upwardly along said outer shell and support members incident to reception of apredetermined amount of gas in said lower chamber, liquid means stored in said outer shell to provide a liquid seal between the lower ends of said inner and outer shells, gas inlet and outlet means communicating with the lower chamber to facilitate the entry and withdrawal of gas into said arrangement, variable ballast means located in said chamber means to set the operating pressure of the arrangement at one of a plurality of predetermined pressures, and means interconnecting said enclosed chamber and a point external of said arrangement so designed as to permit introduction and withdrawal of said ballast means without allowing escape of gas from said storage chamber.

2. A gas storage tank arrangement comprising an outer shell construction suitably supported from a surface and having an open top, support members extending above and secured to the upper end of said outer shell, an inner shell located within said outer shell and having a top and an open bottom, means coacting with said top to define an enclosed chamber located at the upper end of said inner shell, said enclosed chamber extending substantially entirely across said inner shell, said chamber means and the wall of said inner shell defining a lower storage chamber for said gas, means on said outer shell, said support members, and said inner shell for guiding said inner shell upwardly along said outer shell and support members incident to reception of a predetermined amount of gas in said lower chamber, liquid means stored in said outer shell to provide a liquid seal between the lower ends of said inner and outer shells, gas inlet and outlet means communicating with the lower chamber to facilitate the entry and withdrawal of gas into said arrangement, ballast means located in said chamber means to condition the arrangement to operate at one of a plurality of predetermined pressures, and means interconnecting said enclosed chamber and a point external of said arrangement so designed as to permit introduction and withdrawal of said ballast means without allowing escape of gas from said storage chamber.

3. A gas storage tank arrangement comprising an outer shell construction suitably supported from a surface and having an open top, support members extending above and secured to the upper end of said outer shell, an inner shell located within said outer shell and having a top and an open bottom, means coacting with said top to define an enclosed chamber located at the upper end of said inner shell, said enclosed chamber extending substantial- 1y entirely across said inner shell, said chamber means and the wall of said inner shell defining a lower storage chamher for said gas, means on said outer shell, said support members, and said inner shell for guiding said inner shell upwardly along said outer shell and support members incident to reception of a predetermined amount of gas in said lower chamber, liquid means stored in said outer shell to provide a liquid seal between the lower ends of said inner and outer shells, gas inlet and outlet means communicating with the lower chamber to facilitate the entry and withdrawal of gas into said arrangement, variable ballastmeans located in said chamber means to condition the arrangement to operate at one of a plurality of predetermined pressures, and means interconnecting said enclosed chamber and a point external of said arrangement so designed as to permit introduction and withdrawal of said ballast means without allowing escape of gas from said storage chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 116,423 Forstall June 27, 1871 612,845 Heckert Oct. 25, 1898 752,985 Koehler Feb. 24, 1904 1,878,211 Voorhees Sept. 20, 1932 2,014,264 Patrick Sept. 10, 1935 2,163,076 Wilkin June 20, 1939 FOREIGN PATENT 15,537 Great Britain July 31, 1901 

1. A GAS STORAGE TANK ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING AN OUTER SHELL CONSTRUCTION SUITABLY SUPPORTED FROM A SURFACE AND HAVING AN OPEN TOP, SUPPORT MEMBERS EXTENDING ABOVE AND SECURED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID OUTER SHELL, AN INNER SHELL LOCATED WITHIN SAID OUTER SHELL AND HAVING AN OPEN BOTTOM, MEANS PROVIDING A CLOSED TOP FOR SAID INNER SHELL AND DEFINING AN ENCLOSED CHAMBER, SAID CHAMBER MEANS AND THE WALL OF SAID INNER SHELL DEFINING A LOWER STORAGE CHAMBER FOR SAID GAS, MEANS ON SAID OUTER SHELL, SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, AND SAID INNER SHELL FOR GUIDING SAID INNER SHELL UPWARDLY ALONG SAID OUTER SHELL AND SUPPORT MEMBERS INCIDENT TO RECEPTION OF A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF GAS IN SAID LOWER CHAMBER, LIQUID MEANS STORED IN SAID OUTER SHELL TO PROVIDE A LIQUID SEAL BETWEEN THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID INNER AND OUTER SHELLS, GAS INLET AN OUTLET MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE LOWER CHAMBER TO FACILITATE THE ENTRY AND WITHDRAWAL OF GAS INTO SAID ARRANGEMENT, VARIABLE BALLAST MEANS LOCATED IN SAID CHAMBER MEANS TO SET THE OPERATING PRESSURE OF THE ARRANGEMENT AT ONE OF A PLURALITY OF PREDETERMINED PRESSURES, AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID ENCLOSED CHAMBER AND A POINT EXTERNAL OF SAID ARRANGEMENT SO DESIGNED AS TO PERMIT INTRODUCTION AND WITHDRAWAL OF SAID BALLAST MEANS WITHOUT ALLOWING ESCAPE OF GAS FROM SAID STORAGE CHAMBER. 